Jon Is A Geek

Refried beans are awesome with salsa and yoghurt.

• olive oil
• 2-3 rashers of bacon, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, diced
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1 tsp chili powder or paprika (to taste)
• salt and pepper
• 2-3 dollops of Frijoles Negros (see recipe)

Heat some olive oil in a pan and add the chopped bacon, garlic, and spices and fry for a couple of minutes. Ladle in some beans from the pot and mash with a potato masher. Continue to fry and stir for a good 10 minutes, or until the beans begin to brown and stick to the pan.

Serve in tortilla with yoghurt and a good fresh salsa made from diced deseeded tomato, red pepper, chili, garlic, spring onion and lemon juice.

YUM

Here’s the recipe I’ve been using lately to make Frijoles Negros – black beans, Mexican-styles. The Flying Burrito Brothers can go take a leap. This is also surely one of the easiest things to make.

• 450 g (1 lb) dried black or turtle beans
• 900 g (2 lb, two tins) tomatoes
• 750 ml (3 cups, two tomato tins-ful) water, or stock
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
• chili (to taste), seeded and diced
• 3-4 bay leaves
• ½ cup red wine
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black pepper
• olive oil

Soak beans overnight in a large bowl with plenty of extra water to allow them to swell up.

Strain and discard the water from the beans and put them in a large casserole pot with the chopped tomatoes, water, onions, garlic, chili, bay leaves and wine. Bring to the boil gently and simmer for 2-3 hours or until the beans are al dente.

Crush the cumin seed, coriander seed and pepper together in a mortar and pestle. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and toast the spices until aromatic. pour into the beans and stir.